Friday, April 1, 2011

Getting ready to update .........

I think I lost my blogging muse. Everytime I've attempted to do a post, my mind has gone blank. I lead a very quiet life, so I don't have exciting things to write about. I will try to do better.

It has gotten cold and damp again. I want those 70 degree days back. I still haven't planted any garden. I hope I can get some lettuce, carrots, and onions planted next week. I'm also anxious to get flowers planted in my pots and all my lawn furniture out and set up.

I started to do spring cleaning, but stopped. We are going to get the kitchen and both bathrooms updated, so there's no point in doing any cleaning until they are finished. We originally had plans to add on to the house when Hubby retired. We wanted to enlarge the kitchen, add a sunroom, enlarge the bathrooms and bedroom, and turn the garage into a family room. Since the economy has been weak and we've had to pay a small fortune every month for health insurance, we decided we would just fix up what we have. My house is only a little over 1000 sq. feet. Since it's just Hubby and I, we can manage with the space we have.

I've been trying to decide on cabinets, countertops, backsplashes, tile, light fixtures, etc. I've never been good at making decisions - I tend to change my mind quite often. Of course, Hubby is not much help. We're going to Lowes tomorrow and look at faucets and tile. Anyone have any advice or suggestions?

My brother has finally decided to retire at the end of April and will be moving back to Virginia. So I only have a few more weeks to take care of his house and feed his cat. It will be nice having him close by.

Hang in, the 70's are coming back. I usually get them a wee bit before you an they are here for me. My garden has been in for a while (I kind of jumped the gun) and fingers have been crossed that everything survives this fickle weather. So far so good.Good luck with the remodeling.

I went to Expo when it was time to choose a countertop. Unfortunately, they are no longer in business. They really helped me with my decision. While granite is beautiful, keep in mind it needs to be treated and will mar. That's why I chose Silestone (it never needs to be treated, doesn't stain and will never mar) It's an amazing product and I defy anyone to tell the difference. You're so right, though. These kinds of decisions are difficult. It helped when I looked on line and through magazines. (Am now looking for new faucet sets). I could then say what I DIDN'T want. That helped.

Also, you may lead a 'quiet' life, but it is a rich life. And what seems mundane to you interests the rest of us. I love hearing about you, your family, and of course, the 'girls'.

I've been looking for fingerling sweet potatoes to plant -- can't find them. Have you seen any?

Making choices like you mentioned we have already done. Some might have been different had I had the budget for them. For instance I have a "formica" like counter but it is far more resistant to heat and scratching than the Formica. I have one nick and two tiny scratches despite my husband not adhering to my admonishments. I wanted granite but price and the fact I was not sure my manufactured home floor would hold it up nixed that decision. We have floor vinyl, mainly because of pets.

Some of our friend's pets have broken bones sliding on the flooring that looks like wood. My dog slides enough on vinyl--scares me when she falls.

I'm glad you posted a comment on my blog. When I read it I realized I hadn't seen your blog posts in my feed in a long time. For some reason, Blogger did away with the rss feed for your blog. Hmm.....makes me wonder who else I no longer "follow"!

Did you get excited about the VCU hoopla this month? I totally got into it. Last night was a sad night at my house. = (

It's exciting to remodel. I love figuring out how to improve the little house we have. I try to do something every year, if I can afford it. We wanted to add a bedroom addition this year, but with the cost of construction materials right now, it'll have to wait.

I love decorating. You're in for some fun! My dream counter would be black soapstone or Carerra (sp?) marble. But it's very expensive. I'll tell you why I don't like granite. The only granite that's ever on sale is kind of funky looking--odd colors and patterns. The nice granite is just as expensive as the soapstone or marble. Also, it's all the rage now which means in a few years, it will be dated. However, if you're ever going to sell your house, having grantie is almost a necessity.

They're making so many beautiful tiles for backsplashes nowadays that you can't go wrong. Colorful glass tiles are gorgeous. I personally like white subway tiles because I like an old fashioned classic look. You can also use those tin ceiling panels that are real popular now and cheaper than tile--people are using them for backsplashes. Beadboard, natural or painted white, is also a cheap way to do something that looks great.

As far as flooring, call us! We sell it all, hardwood, tile, laminate, vinyl, bamboo, cork, carpet, you name it. Plus we beat Lowe's prices because we're a mobile floor store--no overhead. Check out our commercial on our website. I wrote it and we're all in it! www.ShopAtHomeFloors.net

Isn't retirement great? Honestly I kept having this feeling like I was on vacation and in a week I would be back at work. But when each week came and went and I didn't go back, it felt weird. I am finally realizing I am retired! LOL. Hey good luck with the updating. Please post pics so we can see. I have so many projects I don't know where to start, will probably tackle the ones that take less money to do. Like you say with the economy I am being a little more frugal. Have fun! Marla